What is oral piercing?
Body piercing is not new. It is an ancient practice that can be traced back thousands of years to various cultures. Oral piercing, however, is a relatively new fad that includes the puncture of oral tissues -- such as the lip, cheek or tongue -- so that an individual may wear ornamental jewelry.
The jewelry ranges from metal studs to rings to other decorative pieces. This practice is often referred to as "body art," and has grown in popularity among teenagers and college-age individuals during the last decade. With tongue piercing, for example, the tongue is usually pierced in the middle front with a temporary device that is inserted during the three to five week healing period. After that time, permanent jewelry is inserted and left in, or the hole will close up within days.
Why is it dangerous?
There are no licensing or certification standards for individuals who provide body-piercing services. This makes it difficult to control and monitor who performs the procedure and the environment in which the services are provided. There are numerous health and safety concerns at stake -- ranging from how sterile the equipment is to how much training the individual has who is performing the service. In addition, piercing may be painful. Piercing occurs without anesthetics because the persons who provide these services are not licensed to administer drugs (only dentists, physicians and podiatrists can prescribe and administer anesthesia). The procedure is often performed in tattoo parlors, hair and nail salons and in the private homes of those who do piercing. The individuals may have little or no training.
What are the risks?
- Infection -- Oral piercing may cause serious infection because the inside of the mouth harbors all kinds of bacteria. The site of the piercing can easily become infected. In addition, poor sterilization techniques may increase the risk of infection.
- Swelling -- Following piercing, the tongue can swell -- obstructing breathing and making it difficult to swallow.
- Blood Clots -- When the tongue is involved, there is a risk of blood clots that may produce life-threatening strokes.
- Hemorrhaging -- Nerve damage and numbness at the site, allergies to metal, toxic shock, blood poisoning, enlarged lips, scars, damaged sense of taste and speech impairment are other serious side effects of oral piercing.
- Cracked Teeth -- This is common with tongue piercing because an individual can easily bite down on the jewelry and crack the teeth.
- Inhaled Parts -- Jewelry may break apart and the small parts may be inhaled or aspirated in the lungs -- requiring surgical removal.
In summary, body piercing is seen mainly in adolescents and young adults, and involves piercing of the tongue, lips, cheeks, nose, eyebrows and the erogenous zones. Glorified in movies such as “Pulp Fiction,” and considered "hip" by its advocates, body piercing presents considerable dental and medical risks. The main dangers involved with piercing are the risk of infection, metal allergy and bleeding. In fact, The National Institute of Health in U.S. has identified piercing as a possible route for the transmission of hepatitis. In the case of oral piercing, the bacteria-rich mouth can cause an infection in the piercing site. Untreated, the infection could cause swelling to the throat and prevent a person from breathing. Oral piercing can also cause damage to the teeth, interfere with speaking or swallowing, or cause an allergic reaction or breathing complications if the jewelry is swallowed.
- Cloverdale Dentist